Imran Khan warns US of any misadventure against Iran
Washington: Cautioning the United States about any misadventure against Iran, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said any action on the lines of Iraq could be much worse and people would forget al-Qaeda.
"My worry about Iran is.... I am not sure whether all the countries realise the gravity of the situation if there is a conflict with Iran," Khan said in response to a question during his appearance at the US Institute of Peace, a think-tank funded by the US Congress.
"You know, this is not going to be the same as (the 2003 US invasion of) Iraq. This could be much, much, much worse.... It could unleash terrorism, which -- people would forget al-Qaeda.... You know, the battle might be quite short if it goes ahead, bombing airfields and so on," he said.
"But the consequences after that, my worry is that not many people fully understand it. And I would strongly urge that there should not be...another military situation," Khan said amidst an escalation of tension between Iran and the US.
"We would do anything, I mean, if (there is) any role Pakistan can play in this. We have already suggested this to Iran," he said.
"Until recently, Iran was willing but then, somehow I felt Iran is getting very desperate. And I do not think they should be pushed into a situation where this leads to a conflict," Khan added.
Responding to another question on Afghanistan, he said his government had decided to put an end to the decades-old policy of interfering in Afghan politics to avert the danger that Pakistan might someday confront an Afghan-Indian alliance.
"The fear amongst the Pakistani military establishment was always that there would be a two-front situation...you know, the eastern front, which is India. And then, if Afghanistan was also in the Indian sphere of influence, then Pakistan would be sandwiched between these two," Khan said.
The Pakistani security doctrine had sought "what was called the 'strategic depth' of being able to influence Afghan affairs", he said, adding, "But this has changed. Today, we feel that by interfering in Afghanistan in order to secure the strategic depth, we have actually done a lot of damage to our own country and...we have become partisan in Afghanistan's internal affairs."
Khan, who was accompanied by his top military officers during his three-day official trip to the US, said he spoke for Pakistan's army in saying that "we should not ever interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan".
"Let the Afghans decide what they want, what sort of government they want and we should facilitate the peace process. So, this is the big difference. Now, we are all on the same page. And fortunately, now the United States is on the same page too," he said.
The visiting Pakistani prime minister said he had previously declined to meet the Afghan Taliban leaders, following objections by the Afghan government.
"But now, when I go back after meeting President (Donald) Trump, and also, I have spoken to (Afghan) President (Ashraf) Ghani, now I will meet the Taliban and try my best to get them to talk to the Afghan government," he said.
Eventual peace talks, Khan said, should lead to "an inclusive (Afghan) election where the Taliban...also participate," Khan said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka Lokayukta to register case, probe Bowring wall collapse
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Lokayukta Justice B S Patil on Thursday took serious note of the compound wall collapse at Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in the city that killed seven people, and announced registration of a case on its own while warning of action against officials found responsible.
The Lokayukta, who visited the site and conducted an inspection, expressed strong displeasure over the incident and questioned the inaction of authorities, even as police and emergency teams had earlier rushed to the spot to rescue victims trapped under the debris following heavy rain, strong winds and a hailstorm on Wednesday evening.
“I will now register a suo motu case. This is not just about this one incident — such incidents must not occur anywhere in the state or the city in the future,” Justice Patil told reporters.
Seven people, including a six-year-old girl, were killed and seven others injured when the compound wall collapsed as rain-battered victims had taken shelter near it, according to police. The victims included people from Kerala who were in the city on a study tour.
Calling for systemic accountability, the Lokayukta said, “Dilapidated buildings and weakened compound walls, especially in areas with public access, must first be identified. They must either be repaired, demolished, or rebuilt.”
He added that responsibility would be fixed on officials of the BBMP and the concerned departments.
Justice Patil said that hearings would be conducted and preventive action initiated, while also probing those responsible for it, how the incident could have been prevented, and why it was not prevented.
A Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) team and a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team also inspected the site, while police cordoned off Kovil Street to facilitate the probe.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said the government had initiated measures following the rain-related incidents and stressed preparedness.
“Since last night we have initiated measures regarding the rains. When it rains heavily, we must be prepared, and we are working towards that,” he told reporters here.
On the wall collapse, Shivakumar said, “I will not directly blame any officials. It was an old wall, and trees had grown alongside it. Due to that pressure, it collapsed.”
The Deputy CM said instructions had been issued to identify such vulnerable structures and clear areas around them, including relocating street vendors.
Karnataka Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil said a technical assessment had been ordered.
“This is a very serious matter. Innocent people have been affected. We are issuing directions to the engineers to find out why this compound wall collapsed and to assess its structural strength,” he told reporters after inspecting the spot.
The Minister noted that the wall was ‘very old’ and required thorough examination to prevent recurrence.
Speaking to reporters, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asked the Karnataka government to take precautions to ensure that incidents like the collapse of the Bengaluru government hospital compound wall, which caused loss of life, should not repeat.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference, Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad said the collapse raised questions about construction and maintenance practices.
“If a wall collapses within 25 years of its construction, it needs to be examined -- whether there was any technical issue, or if anything was altered inside, weakening it. All this can only come out through a technical investigation,” he said.
The Congress MLA also called for wider structural audits across the city, stating that all such structures, whether private or government, must be audited.
He urged citizens to support victims, saying it was a collective responsibility in times of crisis.
